John henry neave



(No Model.) I

J. H. NEAVE,

METHOD OF TREATING HATS MADE FROM PE'LTED'MATERIALS; No. 408,925.Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY NEAVE, OF RAIN OW, NEAR MAOOLESFIELD, COUNTY OF CHESTER,ENGLAND.

METHOD OF TREATING HATS MADE FROM FELTED MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 408,925, dated August13, 1889.

Application filed October 15, 1888. $eria1 No. 288,135.

December 7, 1887,

(N0 model.) Patented in England April 25, No. 187,445; in BelgiumDecember 7, 1887, No. 79,832

1887, No. 5,938; in France in Brazil May 9, 1888, N0. 576 in Germany May16, 1888, No. 45,869, and in ItalyAugnst 8, 1888,170. 28,890.

To all whom it may c0ncc7 n:

Be it known that I, J OHN, HENRY N EAVE, of Rainow, near Macclesfield,in the county of Chester, England, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theManufacture of I-Iats from Felted Materials, (for which invention I havereceived Letters Patent as follows: in England, No. 5,968, dated April25, 1887; in France, No. 187,445, dated December 7, 1887; in Belgium,No. 79,832, dated December 7, 1887; in Germany, No. 45,869, dated May16, 1888; in Italy, No. 23,890, dated August 8, 1888, and in Brazil,dated May 9, 1888, No. 576,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvement during manufacture in the methodor process of treating hats made from felted materials, and has for itsobject the consolidating and rendering more cloth-like the texture ofthe felt,

and in rendering permanent a bright and glossy surface upon hats.

In addition to the ordinary and well-known methods of finishing orpolishing felt hats, especially by means of hot ironing, such hats arealso prepared with a bright glossy polish in two ways: (a) by a longartificial nap on the surface of the cloth, consisting of polished endsof hair or fiber extending beyond the body portion of the material,produced by subjecting the surface of the felt to a rapidlyrevolvingabrasive surface, wherebythe ends of the fibers are drawn outward andleft upon the surface, as has been fully set forth in the specificationof patent issued to me, No. 271,351, January 30, 1883, and (b) by a veryshort nap, or the absence of nap, the ends of the hair on the surfacebeing polished by a rapidly-revolving smooth polishing-surface or velourapplied to the surface of the material in a manner very similar to thatdescribed in the specification of the said Patent No. 271,351. A brightglossy polish produced by either of these methods or others that havebeen tried is readily lost or deteriorated by the action of water or adamp atmosphere. I have also found that the texture of the material,after being treated as described in the specification of the said PatentN 0. 271,351, becomes somewhat loosened or opened.

This invent-ion is designed, primarily, to be applied to hats that havebeen finished or polished with a bright and glossy polish by either ofthe methods stated for the purpose of consolidating the texture of thematerial and rendering the gloss and polish thereon permanent whensubjected to the action of damp atmosphere or water.

It consists, essentially, in subjecting the fabric at a certain stage inthe process of manufacture to a strong mechanical pressure orcompression, and at the same time to the action of a highly-heatedfluid-such as steam or water under pressure.

It is to be noted that I do not claim the application of mechanicalpressure, moisture, or heat separately considered, the inventionresiding in their joint or simultaneous application to the fabric, sothat the fibers are held in close and firm contact with each other whilethe moisture is acting thereon.

It is to be understood that the pressure referred to herein is apressure so applied that it tends to compress, consolidate, or reducethe thickness of the fabric.

The material will be compressed tightly upon a suitable block, and theheated fluid may penetrate the material from one or both, an equalpressure surrounding it on all sides, or may be forced direct throughthe material, the pressure being applied on one side of the materialonly.

The drawings annexed show suitable apparatus designed for carrying outthe invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of block upon which the hats may betightly compressed before being placed in the bath of water or steam;Fig. 2, a side elevation of apparatus for use when the steam is forcedthrough the hats; Fig. 3,asectional elevation of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a planof Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a plan of perforated plate 0; Fig. (3, a sectionalelevation of perforated cap for compressing the hat-bodies instead ofthe canvas covering and plate In the drawings, A is a perforated blockor shape upon which the hats are tightly compressed prior to being subjectcd to the further treatment of a highly heated fluid under pressure.The pressure is applied to the hatbodies preferably by means of a canvascovering I-hltightly drawn and pressed down over the hat-bodies by meansof the perforated plate 0. Instead, however, of canvas 13 and perforatedplate 0, a perforated metal block or shape I), Fig. (i, may be used,which will be tightly clamped over the hat-bodies when drawn over theshape A.

In Figs. 2 and 3, E is a steam chamber or chest, over whichv theperforated block A, which receives the hats, may fit.

G is a large chamber placed below E, supplied with steam from thefeed-pipe ll. The chamber G communicates with. chest E, and is fitted atthe top with a baffle-plate g or other contrivance to prevent condensedwater being thrown into chest E.

II is the steam-feed pipe.

I is a chamber placed so as to receive any condensed water that may beblown forward from the feed-pipe II and guide it down to the bottom ofchamber G, where it escapes by the small pipe J.

K is a pipe to drain condensed water from the chamber E.

The pipes J and K are supplied with stoptaps j and 7;.

L are cramps fitted on pivots and supplied with screws to hold the metalplate (or shape D in position and give the required amount of pressureor compression to the hat material.

The metal block A upon which the hats are placed, may be made of anyshape required, and, where it is desired that the fluid should act uponthe material at one side only, in some instances will not be perforated.

\Vheu carrying out the invention the hat or hat-bodies, after beingprepared and polished, as hereinbefore described, are drawn down uponthe block A, one on top of another, to the number of three or four, andthe porous or perforated covering B or 1), preferably the canvas one,placed over them and securely fastened, so as to hold and compress thehat material tightly to prevent the moving or curling of the fibers,more particularly of the outer ones, under the influence of the Jluid.\Vhen the hats are covered. with the canvas, the plate C is placed overthem and screwed tightly down by the cramps L. This brings pressure uponthe brims and draws the can vas tightly over the crowns and sides of thehats. To avoid the brims being marked by the folds of the canvas, it isdesirable frequently to use two of these plates-one to be placedimmediately upon the brims of the hats underneath the canvas, while thesecond is placed upon the top of the canvas, which, being drawn intofolds by the plate, will bring the needful pressure upon the crowns ofthe hats. \Vhcn the hats are covered with the perforated plate I), it issimilarly pressed tightly down over the hat material by the cramps L togive the desired pressure to the material.

Instead of a canvas or metal covering for compressing the hats duringthe process of treatment, any other suitable textile, porous, orperforated material may be employed that will allow of the passage ofsteam through it.

In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown the apparatus for use in forcing the steamdirect through the material. The bloclc A, with the hat-bodies, isplaced in position on the steamchest E and secured thereto by the crampsL, which also impart the required pressure to the hats. Steam at, say,from five to ten pounds pressure is admitted through the inlet steampipeII and chamber G to the chest E. The steam, having no other means ofexit, is forced through the perforations in the block A, through thehats, and through the covering of canvas or other material by which theyare compressed. It is obvious that the block A may be reversed andplaced. down into the chest E, the steam. passing through the hats fromthe outside to the inside.

I have not shown the apparatus for use in treating the hats either withsteam or water where the pressure is equal on all. sides, as anystcam-tightor water-tight chamber or vat may be employed for thepurpose, and the hats after having been compressed upon the block A, areplaced therein. In a steamchambcr a pressure of steam of from five totwenty pounds may be employed, and in a vat while boiling the pressuremay be from live to ten pounds. The length or duration of the process ineach instance should be from twenty to thirty minutes, or in some caseseven less. It is desirable to allow the hats to remain upon the block tocool. off for, say, twenty or thirty minutes after they come out of thebath and before removing the mechanical pressure, and this drying willbe assisted if the blocks are made of metal of suitable thickness. Forthe purpose of consolidating and tightening the texture of felt it maybe subj ected to this process at any stage during the process ofmanufacture, and, if found desirable, the process may be repeated one ormore times before and after the finishing of the hats; but for thepurpose of rendering the bright and glossy appearance of the hatspermanent the process must be employed after the finishing operation,and a considerable independent compressing pressure kept upon the hatswhile they are subjected to the action of the heated fluid underpressure. By this means any opening of the felt that may have resultedfrom the finishing process will be closed up and the brightness impartedto the surface rendered permanent.

Ilitherto I have obtained the best results by applying this process tohats that have been finished or polished by the methods hereinbeforedescribed. Hats polished by these methods and afterward subjected whileunder an independent pressure to the action of a highly-heated fluidunder pressure will be made to closely resemble highly-finishedbroadcloth. The somewhat velvety appearance produced by the methoddescribed in the specification of my patent, No. 271,357, will beremoved by this process, and the closeness and solidity of the textureof the felt increased and the brightness rendered much more permanent. Iobtain especially good result-s by taking hats that have been polishedby the method described in my specification of Patent No. 271,357, of1883, and subjecting them to a hot bath in the manner above described,afterward allowing them to cool off before removing them from the block,then after thorough drying subjecting them to a process of velouring,and afterward hot-pressin g in a hydraulic or other hot press. WVhen Idesire to obtain a very high polish, I subject the hats to the action ofa rapidly-revolving machine-velour; otherwise the velouring may be doneby hand in any usual manner. By this method of treating the hatsI obtaina hat with a more permanent and more glossy finish and at less eX- pensethan can be done by the old system of ironing. I do not, however, limitthe invention to hats so prepared or finished, as it may be applied tohats for the purpose of consolidating the fibers of the felt beforefinishing, or to hats finished by any other process for the purpose offixin g or rendering permanent the finish or polish.

IV hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The process of treating hats during manufacture, which consists insubjecting the hat to the action of a highly-heated fluid under pressureWhile the hat or hat-body is tightly compressed or subjected to anindependent pressure, either for the purpose of consolidatingthe-texture of the material or of fastening the finish or polish, or forboth purposes, substantially' as described.

2. The process of treating hats during manufacture, which consists intightly compressing the hat-body on a shape or block and subjecting thehat-body, when so compressed in a chest, chamber, or bath, to thepenetrating action-of a fluidsuch as steam or boiling water-underpressure.

3. The improved method of finishing felt hats with a permanent gloss orbrightness, which consists in subjecting the felt surface to the actionof a rapidly-revolvin g abrasive surface, whereby the ends of the fibersare drawn outward beyond and laid upon the body of the felt, thentightly compressing the hat on a block or shape, and finally subjectingit to the action of a highly-heated fluid (steam or water) underpressure, substantially as described.

4. The improved method of finishing felt hats with a permanent gloss orbrightness, consisting in first polishing the fibers of the hat by arapidly-revolving velour or other means, then tightly compressing thehat 011 a block or shape, and finally subjecting the hat, when socompressed, to the action of a highly-heated fluid (steam or boilingwater) under pressure to render the polish permanent.

5. The improved method of finishing felt hats with a permanent gloss orbrightness, which consists in subjecting the felt surface to the actionof a rapidly-revolving abrasive surface, whereby the ends of the fibersare drawn outward beyond and laid upon the body of the felt, tightlycompressing the hat on a block or shape, subjecting the hat, when socompressed, to the action of ahighly-heated fluid (water or steam) underpressure, and finally polishing with a rapidly-revolving velour,substantially as described.

6. The improved method of finishing felt hats with a permanent gloss orbrightness, consisting in first polishing the fibers of the hat by arapidly-revolving velour or other means, tightly compressing the hat ona block or shape, subjecting the hat, when so compressed, to the actionof a highly-heated fluid (steam or water) under pressure, and finallypolishing with a rapidly-revolving velour, substantially as described.

7. The process or method of finishing felt hats with a permanent glossor brightness, which consists in polishing the surface by application toa rapidly-revolving surface, compressing them on a block or shape, subjecting them to a bath of a highly-heated fluid (steam or Water) underpressure, allowing them to stand and cool before removing them from theblock, thoroughly drying them, Velourin g them with a rapidly-revolvingvelour, and finally hot-pressing them in a hydraulic or other hot press,all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have sign ed my nam e to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN HENRY NEAVE.

Vitnesses:

I. OWDEN OBRIEN, \VILLIAM H. TAYLOR.

IIO

